Method and system for provisioning computing resources

Abstract

A method, computer-readable medium, and system for provisioning computing resources across multiple cloud providers and/or data centers are disclosed. A graphical user interface is used to select a plurality of computing resources and at least one cloud provider and/or at least one data center for providing the plurality of computing resources. Scripts associated with the at least one cloud provider and/or at least one data center are accessed, where each script is capable of automatically setting up a computing resource on an associated cloud provider or associated data center. The scripts are then used to automatically allocate and/or configure the computing resources on the at least one cloud provider and/or at least one data center. As such, computing resources can be automatically provisioned using a generic graphical user interface and without a user having skills or credentials specific to each cloud provider and/or data center.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system comprising:
 communications interface circuitry configured to:
 receive a user query for usage data for a computing resource; and 
 send an instruction to present a display, via a graphic user interface, of the usage data; 
 
 memory configured to store:
 a first record of a first event associated with a selected usage of the computing resource; and 
 a second record of a second event associated with a previous usage of the computing resource, the previous usage occurring before the selected usage on an event timeline for the computing resource; and 
 
 event processing circuitry in data communication with the communication interface circuitry and the memory, the event processing circuitry configured to:
 access the first record and the second record within the memory; 
 responsive to the selected usage and the previous usage, determine a change in usage; 
 compare the selected usage to a usage threshold; 
 when the selected usage exceeds the usage threshold, generate a notification; and 
 generate usage data comprising a representation of the selected usage, a representation of the previous usage, the representation of the change in usage, and the notification. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , where:
 the previous usage is associated with a series of events ending with the second event; and 
 the second event comprises a shutdown event for the computing resource. 
 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2 , where a received stop request event precedes the shutdown event within the series of events. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , where:
 the selected usage comprises a usage of the computing resource during a selected time period with a defined duration; and 
 the selected usage comprises a usage of the computing resource during a previous time period, prior to the selected time period, the previous time period also having the defined duration. 
 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4 , where the change in usage comprises a change in time used for the computing resource for the selected time period relative to the previous time period. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , where:
 the computing resource comprises a computing resource provided by a first computing platform provider during the selected usage; and 
 the computing resource comprises a computing resource provided by a second computing platform provider during the previous usage, the second computing platform provider different from the first computing platform provider. 
 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6 , where:
 the selected usage is associated with a series of events beginning with the first event; and 
 the first event comprises provision of a provisioning script to the first computing platform provider to initiate the computing resource on the first computing platform provider. 
 
     
     
       8. A method comprising:
 receiving, via communications interface circuitry, a user query for usage data for a computing resource; 
 at event processing circuitry in data communication with the communication interface circuitry:
 accessing, in memory, a first record of a first event associated with a selected usage of the computing resource; 
 accessing, in the memory, a second record of a second event associated with a previous usage of the computing resource, the previous usage occurring before the selected usage on an event timeline for the computing resource; 
 responsive to the selected usage and the previous usage, determining a change in usage; 
 comparing the selected usage to a usage threshold; and 
 when the selected usage exceeds the usage threshold, generating a notification; 
 generating usage data comprising a representation of the selected usage, a representation of the previous usage, the representation of the change in usage, and the notification; and 
 
 sending, via the communication interface circuitry, an instruction to present a display of the usage data on a graphical user interface. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , where:
 the previous usage is associated with a series of events ending with the second event; and 
 the second event comprises a shutdown event for the computing resource. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , where a received stop request event precedes the shutdown event within the series of events. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8 , where:
 the selected usage comprises a usage of the computing resource during a selected time period with a defined duration; 
 the selected usage comprises a usage of the computing resource during a previous time period, prior to the selected time period, the previous time period also having the defined duration. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , where the change in usage comprises a change in time used for the computing resource for the selected time period relative to the previous time period. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 8 , where:
 the previous usage is associated with a series of events beginning with the first event; and 
 the second event comprises provision of a provisioning script to a computing platform provider to initiate the computing resource on the computing platform provider. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , where:
 the selected usage is associated with a series of events beginning with the first event; and 
 the first event comprises provision of a provisioning script to the computing platform provider to initiate the computing resource on the computing platform provider. 
 
     
     
       15. A product comprising:
 one or more machine-readable media other than a transitory signal; and 
 instructions stored on the one or more machine-readable media, the instructions configured to, when executed, cause a machine to: 
 receive, via communications interface circuitry, a user query for usage data for a computing resource; 
 at event processing circuitry in data communication with the communication interface circuitry:
 access, in memory, a first record of a first event associated with a selected usage of the computing resource; 
 access, in the memory, a second record of a second event associated with a previous usage of the computing resource, the previous usage occurring before the selected usage on an event timeline for the computing resource; 
 responsive to the selected usage and the previous usage, determine a change in usage; 
 compare the selected usage to a usage threshold; and 
 when the selected usage exceeds the usage threshold, generate a notification; 
 generate usage data comprising a representation of the selected usage, a representation of the previous usage, the representation of the change in usage, and the notification; and 
 
 send, via the communication interface circuitry, a command to present a display of the usage data on a graphical user interface. 
 
     
     
       16. The product of  claim 15 , where:
 the previous usage is associated with a series of events ending with the second event; and 
 the second event comprises a shutdown event for the computing resource. 
 
     
     
       17. The product of  claim 16 , where a received stop request event precedes the shutdown event within the series of events. 
     
     
       18. The product of  claim 15 , where:
 the selected usage comprises a usage of the computing resource during a selected time period with a defined duration; 
 the selected usage comprises a usage of the computing resource during a previous time period, prior to the selected time period, the previous time period also having the defined duration. 
 
     
     
       19. The product of  claim 18 , where the change in usage comprises a change in time used for the computing resource for the selected time period relative to the previous time period. 
     
     
       20. The product of  claim 15 , where:
 the previous usage is associated with a series of events beginning with the first event; and 
 the second event comprises provision of a provisioning script to a computing platform provider to initiate the computing resource on the computing platform provider.